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By Bimbola Oyesola
The Radio Television Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) has charged Nigerians to own the media in order to have a sustained voice as Nigeria joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Press Freedom Day.
RATTAWU’s national president, Dr. Kabir Garba Tsanni, in a massage to its members and Nigerians at large, said the right to freedom of expression was the fulcrum in which the other human rights revolved.
“As the world marks 30 years of press freedom, concerted efforts must be made by citizens to prevent the hijack of the media space by undemocratic forces, thus recolonizing the people a second time,” he said.
Tsanni said amid the challenges of the time, conflict and violence, persistent socio-economic inequalities, environmental crises and its challenges to health and the wellbeing of the people, the citizens must rise against the proliferation of disinformation and misinformation as they have serious impacts on the institutions underpinning democracy and its sustenance.
The RATTAWU president restated the union’s commitment towards providing platforms and contributing actively in making the world a society where people air their views without molestation or discrimination.
World Press Freedom Day, celebrated on the third day of May every year, after its proclamation by the United Nations, is meant to promote the free flow of ideas by word and image; it’s also meant to foster free, independent and pluralistic media in print, broadcast and online.
